Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal device

Abstract

Curved-panel liquid crystal display and method of its manufacture are realized without necessitating drastic changes to the display structure or to the steps in its manufacture, and without requiring new materials or manufacturing technology. The back side of a liquid crystal panel is set on first concavely curved spacers that support two opposing edges of the panel back side. Second concavely curved spacers are set on the front side of the two opposing panel edges. Third spacers of uniform height are disposed on the panel back side to support it along the remaining two edges. The second spacers are then pressed to pressure the panel from the front side against the first spacers, wherein the panel is clamped between the first and second spacers.

1. A display device comprising:
 a flat display panel, 
 first and second spacers each having a concavely curved shape, and 
 a third spacer, wherein 
 the flat display panel is sandwiched between the first and the second spacers so that the display device is maintained in a concavely curved shape, 
 the first spacer is placed on a rear side of the flat display panel to support the flat display panel, 
 the second spacer is placed on a front side of the flat display panel to press the flat display panel against the first spacer, 
 the third spacer is placed on the rear side of the flat display panel to support the flat display panel, and 
 the front side of the flat display panel supported by the third spacer is pressed down by an auxiliary spacer or a bezel. 
 
   
   
     2. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the concavely curved shape is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when two opposing edges of a flat display panel are supported and raised upward, and the display panel curves naturally in this suspended state. 
   
   
     3. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the concavely curved shape is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when a flat display panel is placed on a flat table, and then two opposing edges of that display panel are raised upward by a predetermined height to an extent that a portion of the display panel still contacts the flat table, so that the display panel curves. 
   
   
     4. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first spacer and the third spacer are physically connected and integrated into one piece. 
   
   
     5. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first spacer and the third spacer are unconnected. 
   
   
     6. A display device comprising: an initially flat display panel defining four edges; first spacers that are placed on a rear side of two opposing edges of the display panel and support the display panel from the rear side; second spacers that are placed on a front side of the two opposing edges of the display panel and press the two opposing edges of the display panel from the front side against the first spacers; third spacers having a constant height that are placed on the rear side of the remaining two edges of the display panel; wherein the shape of the surface of the first spacers and the second spacers contacting the display panel is a concavely curved shape; and the display panel is curved in accordance with the concavely curved shape of the first spacers and the second spacers, by sandwiching the two opposing edges of the display panel between the first spacers and the second spacers. 
   
   
     7. The display device according to  claim 6 , wherein the shape of the surface where the first spacers contact the display panel and the shape of the surface where the second spacers contact the display panel is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when two opposing edges of a flat display panel are supported and raised upward, and the display panel curves naturally in this suspended state. 
   
   
     8. The display device according to  claim 6 , wherein the shape of the surface where the first spacers contact the display panel and the shape of the surface where the second spacers contact the display panel is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when a flat display panel is placed on a flat table, and then two opposing edges of that display panel are raised upward by a predetermined height to an extent that a portion of the display panel still contacts the flat table, so that the display panel curves. 
   
   
     9. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined height is at least 1 cm and at most 4 cm. 
   
   
     10. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein when the two opposing edges of the display panel are raised upward by the predetermined height to an extent that a portion of the display panel still contacts the flat table, then the surface area of the surface of the display panel that contacts the flat table is at least 1% and at most 50% of the entire surface area of the display panel. 
   
   
     11. A display device according to any of  claims 6  to  10 , wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel. 
   
   
     12. A display device according to any of  claims 6  to  10 , wherein the display panel is an organic electroluminescent display panel. 
   
   
     13. A display device according to any of  claims 6  to  10 , wherein the display panel is an inorganic ELD panel. 
   
   
     14. A display device according to any of  claims 6  to  10 , wherein the display panel is a reflective display panel. 
   
   
     15. A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising: placing first spacers having a concavely curved shape on the rear side of two opposing edges of an initially flat display panel defining four edged, and supporting the display panel from the rear side with the concavely curved shape of the first spacers; placing second spacers having a concavely curved shape on the front side of the two opposing edges of the display panel and pressing the display panel from the front side with the concavely curved shape of the second spacers; placing third spacers having a constant height on the rear side of the remaining two edges of the display panel to support the remaining two edges of the display panel; and providing the display panel with a concavely curved shape by sandwiching the display panel between the first spacers and the second spacers. 
   
   
     16. The method for manufacturing a display device according to  claim 15 , wherein the concavely curved shape of the concavely curved surfaces of the first spacers and the second spacers is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when two opposing edges of a flat display panel are supported and raised upward, and the display panel curves naturally in this suspended state. 
   
   
     17. The method for manufacturing a display device according to  claim 15 , wherein the concavely curved shape of the concavely curved surfaces of the first spacers and the second spacers is substantially the same curved shape as the curved shape that is attained when a flat display panel is placed on a flat table, and then two opposing edges of that display panel are raised upward by a predetermined height to an extent that a portion of the display panel still contacts the flat table, so that the display panel curves. 
   
   
     18. The method for manufacturing a display device according to  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined height is at least 1 cm and at most 4 cm. 
   
   
     19. The method for manufacturing a display device according to  claim 17 , wherein when the two opposing edges of the display panel are raised upward by the predetermined height to an extent that a portion of the display panel still contacts the flat table, then the surface area of the surface of the display panel that contacts the flat table is at least 1% and at most 50% of the entire surface area of the display panel. 
   
   
     20. A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising:
 providing first and second spacers each having a concavely curved shape, 
 sandwiching a flat display panel between the first and the second spacers comprising:
 placing the first spacer on a rear side of the flat display panel to support the flat display panel, and 
 placing the second spacer on a front side of the flat display panel to press the flat display panel against the first spacer, 
 
 placing a third spacer on the rear side of the flat display panel to support the flat display panel cooperatively, and 
 installing an auxiliary spacer on the front side of the flat display panel to press the flat display panel against the third spacer.